1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vacuum attachment adapted for use with a vacuum hose, which is adapted for use with any type of vacuum device, and any type of container, particularly any conventional plastic food storage bag.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many devices have been proposed for the purpose of removing air from a container in order to store and preserve food or in order to reduce the volume of an item, such as clothing, inside a container to facilitate storage. However, these devices are typically expensive and often require the purchase of customized storage bags. Many of the devices include an expensive vacuum unit and cannot be used with a household vacuum that a typical consumer already owns.
Some of the devices include an electrical sealing or heating unit. Some devices with sealing or heating units bear a warning label stating that use of the sealing or heating device with a plastic bag xe2x80x9ccould cause fumes,xe2x80x9d which are potentially harmful. Also, these sealing or heating units are known to burn out, rendering the device ineffective.
A variety of devices have been proposed for use with a vacuum device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,253, issued Apr. 19, 1977 to Kaufman, describes a home vacuum apparatus for freezer bags. U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,536, issued Jun. 14, 1988 to Grisley, describes a router vacuum attachment. U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,168, issued Jul. 25, 2000 to Mendenhall, describes a breast pump attachment to a household vacuum cleaner.
Further, German Patent No. 19959513 C1, issued Jul. 26, 2001 to Bruno, describes an electric vacuum cleaner attachment with an adapter piece fitted to a suction hose and a filter device extending in a longitudinal direction of the suction hose. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0092103 A1, published Jul. 18, 2002 to Bruno et al., describes a universal vacuum extension kit. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,501, issued Jan. 27, 1998 to Belokin et al., describes a suction cup attachment assembly.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a vacuum attachment solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The vacuum attachment of the present invention is adapted for use with a vacuum hose which is adapted for use with any type of vacuum device and any type of container, particularly any conventional plastic food storage bag. The vacuum attachment comprises a first attaching means adapted for attaching the vacuum attachment to the vacuum hose, and an inserting means adapted for inserting the vacuum attachment into the container. The first attaching means and the inserting means are preferably integrated into a one-piece construction; however, the first attaching means and the inserting means may be provided as separate pieces which are attached together using any suitable means of attachment.
The first attaching means may comprise a hollow substantially frustoconical body. The inserting means may comprise a hollow substantially cylindrical neck. The vacuum attachment may further comprise a second attaching means, such as a suction cup, adapted for attaching the vacuum attachment to a planar surface. The vacuum attachment may further comprise an air flow blocking means adapted for blocking the air flow between the container and the vacuum attachment. The air flow blocking means may comprise a hollow substantially cylindrical cap with a closed end. The air flow blocking means may comprise an opening or a filter.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a vacuum attachment for use with a vacuum hose and a container.
It is another object of the invention to provide a vacuum attachment comprising a first attaching means and an inserting means.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a vacuum attachment comprising a hollow substantially frustoconical body.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum attachment comprising a hollow substantially cylindrical neck.
It is another object of the invention to provide a vacuum attachment comprising a second attaching means.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a vacuum attachment comprising a hollow substantially cylindrical cap.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum attachment comprising an air flow blocking means comprising an opening or a filter.
It is another object of the invention to provide a vacuum attachment which is adapted for use with a conventional vacuum device.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a vacuum attachment which is adapted for use with a conventional plastic food storage bag.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.